Judges 1:1-7 ▼

1 Sometime after Joshua had died, the Israelis asked the LORD, |Who is to lead us against the Canaanites in our opening attack against them?|

2 The LORD replied, |The tribe of Judah is to lead you. Look! I've given the land into their control.|

3 But the tribe of Judah told the tribe of Simeon, the descendants of Judah's brother, |Come with us into our territory, and we'll both fight the Canaanites. In return, we'll go with you when you fight in your territory.| So the army of the tribe of Simeon accompanied the army of the tribe of Judah.

4 When the army of the tribe of Judah went into battle, the LORD gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their control, and they defeated 10,000 men at Bezek.

5 They located Adoni-bezek in Bezek, fought him, and defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites.

6 Adoni-bezek ran off, but they pursued him, caught him, and amputated his thumbs and big toes.

7 Adoni-bezek used to brag, |Seventy kings without thumbs and big toes used to eat what was left under my table. God has repaid me for what I've done.| They brought him to Jerusalem, and he later died there.